The three of them accompanied the chariot and braved the heavy snow to talk and walk, and it was not until the end of the Shen Dynasty that they arrived at Shahe Fort on the bank of the Hutuo River. Kangxi's whole body was wrapped like a snowman, and while carefully stepping on the frozen mirror-like river, he asked Wei Dongting: "This Shahe Fort, which county is the ground?" ”

"Hui Ye's words," Wei Dongting saw that he had entered the densely populated area, so he spoke extra carefully, and only vaguely called Kangxi "Ye", "It's Fanzhi County, and the county order is called Liu Qingyuan." This Shahebao is the first big town in Fanzhi, tonight we will rest in the old store in Dexing, the side courtyard is lived by a few horse dealers, the main courtyard is all inclusive to us, you just have to rest assured. ”

At this time, it has entered the unitary card, according to the white weather, it is dark early. Because of the snow, the snow is shining, and the facades on both sides of the street are still faintly visible; There was no sign of people on the streets, and even the barking of dogs could not be heard. Wei Dongting dispatched vehicles on the street, unloaded luggage, and arranged customs defense. The shopkeeper who was shocked came out with a lantern and greeted him with a smile, and greeted him in Wutai dialect: "With such a heavy snow, it is difficult for the grandfathers to hurry!" I'm supposed to be staying at the first stop! Please wow, it's just that our mountain and wilderness store is difficult to compare with the foot of the emperor in Beijing...... "The shopkeeper was very attentive and talkative, pushed the door of the store wide open with both hands, and let them and his group face inside, shouting: "Cai's family! The grandfathers have arrived, hurry up and send some hot water to the room! ”

"What," Wei Dongting suddenly stopped and asked, "Didn't I already pack the main courtyard, why did I have guests again?" ”

"Whew!" The shopkeeper sighed, "They had just arrived the hour before, and the shops in Shahe Fort were full of people—a Taoist priest, a scholar—and the snow was so heavy that they were all frozen like green turnips, so I had the courage to settle them." Fortunately, there are only more than 20 people in the grandfather's platform, and there are more than 30 rooms in it! Wei Dongting listened, his face became gloomy, and he stopped without waiting for him to finish: "Fart!" Even if Manjushri comes, you have to place them out! Kangxi listened and hurriedly said: "Xiao Weizi, let's do it, it's just one night, let's just take a moment, we'll go tomorrow morning." Wei Dongting looked at the shopkeeper with a smile on his face, and couldn't help but get angry, but he didn't dare to disobey Kangxi, so he said: "What the master said is true, but my fixed silver will give him fifty taels at once, and pay fifty taels for one night, can you earn it by opening a store for half a year?" We have come all the way out of Beijing, and we have never met such a bold and greedy minion as you! The shopkeeper was embarrassed by his training, and Nuo Nuo apologized repeatedly: "But the matter has come to this point, and it's not good to get rid of people, they are all people who worship Buddha in incense, so it can be convenient and convenient." He laughed dryly.

"The world can live in the world!" As soon as the door of the west wing opened, a young Taoist priest walked out, holding a dust, with a seven-star sword on his back, very elegant and handsome, and said, "If the layman is rich, he has to buy this unevenness!" What would you do if the poor Dao offered two hundred taels of silver to drive the layman out at this time? Even the scholar came in with a hard rub in the poor road, and he didn't do the business of the shopkeeper, and the layman had something to say, so he just talked about the poor road! Wei Dongting turned his face sideways and didn't look at the Taoist priest, and said coldly: "I'm talking to the shopkeeper, what are you talking about?" ”

"Shut up!" Kangxi saw that Wei Dongting was endless, and his face was looking for trouble, and he hurriedly stopped, "This Taoist chief is reasonable, and he won't retreat!" Wei Dongting was speechless when he heard this, and silently retreated to the side and stood with his hands down. Kangxi looked at this Taoist priest, at most twenty years old, with beautiful eyebrows and fine eyes, his face was as white as jade, but there was a wild spirit in his eyebrows, and he couldn't help but feel a little bit in his heart: "If this Taoist priest changes into women's clothes, he can be regarded as a beautiful woman of the last generation, but his temperament is rough...... "Daoist, what do the little ones know!" The Taoist only needs to settle down, and after dinner, he might as well invite that friend to come over and sit with him for the night. The Taoist priest pursed his lips and couldn't help laughing, and said, "It's still a child's book and etiquette, and I'll see you back!" As he spoke, he glared at Wei Dongting and returned to the West Chamber. Although Wei Dongting was angry in his heart, he didn't dare to say anything more. The shopkeeper hurriedly interjected and explained: "Everyone is from ****, and it is also fate in the past life to be able to gather in the small shop, and I always complain that the small shop is shallow, and the reception of all parties is not consider......ate," he said, and led Kangxi and his party into the upper room, "Please ask the old lady and this young lady (Su Malagu) to rest in peace in the east building, and the son lives in the west building, and it is convenient to ask for soup and water." Look at this heavy snow, I may not be able to start tomorrow, just stay in the small shop for a few more days, the little one personally waits for the old lady, and the security guard is ...... "After that, he was busy opening the door, placing the luggage, pouring oil into the lamp, adding fire to the kang, bringing hot water to the empress dowager's house, and ordering someone to bake Kangxi's wet clothes and shoes. Shanxi people are the first in the world in terms of softness and pettiness, and even Wei Dongting, who was angry, was sent away with a smile, and said: "If you are an errand in the Forbidden City, I am afraid that the emperor will also coax you!" ”

Kangxi used a bowl of hot head dumplings filled with fine mutton[1]

, suddenly felt that the cold on his body was swept away, warm, and there was no fatigue. Although he became the lord of the world, he really didn't get this taste in his life, so he ordered the wolf to take five taels of silver to reward the shopkeeper. After a while, the shopkeeper came in with a smile to thank him, saluted, wiped his hands with a water skirt and said with a smile: "Master Xie has rewarded him, and the old lady has also rewarded five taels, saying that she has never used it so comfortably." They don't use meat, they use tofu skin and mushroom filling, and they use sweet wine. On the young man's side, the little one thought about the air conditioning of the day, and the wine was used a little heavier, and he didn't want to hurt the spleen and ......stomach of the young man, "Obviously, since the opening of the store, he has never met such a generous customer, and he actually gave two rewards at the same time."

He was still chattering, but saw the Taoist priest come in with a middle-aged scholar in his forties. Kangxi hurriedly jumped off the kang and said with a smile: "It's okay for a long night, it's just a good conversation, even the owner of the shop doesn't have to go, let's sit and talk." Although the scholar is dressed in green clothes, his demeanor is very steady, and he is strong in his possession, and while he is making a gesture to Kangxi, he is self-registered: "In Xia Fu Mountain, the cheap word is the green master, dare to ask the master's surname, Taifu?" Wei Dongting saw at a glance that the young Taoist priest was equipped with martial arts, and there were several people sitting with Kangxi, and he didn't dare to slack off at all, so he secretly raised his spirit, and naturally stood close to Kangxi.

"Don't dare," Kangxi replied with a smile on his face, "Under the surname Long, the word Dehai - you are all from the incense?" ”

"The Taoist priest has traveled here, but I am from this province, and I have read the books of the sages, and I don't believe in the gods and Buddhas." Fu Shan said with a smile, "I didn't know each other before, I was poor at dusk, and I encountered heavy snow, so I didn't want to meet Long Gongzi here." Kangxi smiled when he heard this: "I'm the same as Mr. Fu, I don't believe in gods and Buddhas, but my grandmother said that she had made a bodhisattva wish on Wutai Mountain because of the bad weather, and she had to come to the incense, so she had to reluctantly obey the order." ”

"This man has such a big mouth!" Fu Shan looked at Kangxi while listening, and saw that he was dressed as an ordinary townman, and he actually pulled from the old lady's wish to the big topic of "Tianshi"! He moved his body, took a sip of tea and asked, "Is the Zunfu in Beijing?" Seeing that Fu Shan was suspicious, Wei Dongting hurriedly came over to add tea, and said with a smile: "No, it's Tongzhou." "The Taoist priest obviously didn't know anything about this, and only bowed his head to eat tea and obey." Tongzhou? Fu Shan shook his head and said, "There is only one Zhou Yuan in the Tongzhou family!" ”

Kangxi was speechless for a while, and originally planned to come back from Wutai Mountain to privately investigate the people's situation, but who knew that he was not suitable for this kind of occasion, and the first time he talked to outsiders, he poked a leak as soon as he spoke, and he didn't know how to deal with it for a while.

Wei Dongting knew that Zhou Yuan was the property of Zhou Quanbin's family, and now he had to make it up. After a little hesitation, he smiled lightly: "The Long family was originally in Outer Mongolia, and they only moved into the pass last autumn, and now even Zhou Yuan has been transferred to the Long family." Mr. didn't listen to the songs made up by the people of Tongzhou? 'Ten Zhou Gardens are thousands of miles green, not as good as a dragon in loess. 'From Tongzhou to the northeast, as long as it is yellow earth, it is the ancestral industry of the Long family. ”

"Xiao Weizi, what are you doing with all this gossip?" Kangxi was very satisfied with Wei Dongting's arrangement, and didn't want to continue along this topic, so he turned his face and asked Daoist Yuliang, "Daoist Yuliang is a Qin dialect, where is he cultivating in Shaanxi?" ”

"Me?" Yuliang was pondering, but Kangxi suddenly asked himself, took a sip of the tea in the cup, and said to Wei Dongting with a smile, "Please have another cup - let's not talk around the bend - I have cultivated in Zhongnan Mountain, and I have also traveled in Emei Mountain for a few years." ”

"Oh, Emei!" Kangxi suddenly remembered and asked, "There is a doctor named Hu Gongshan, who has also been a Taoist priest in Emei Mountain, and he is good at martial arts and upright, so he gave up his official position for some reason and went back to ......."

"That's not surprising." Yu Liang said coldly, "Some people think it's good to be an official, and some people are willing to be Taoist priests and monks." Even if they are all disciples of Taishang Sanqing, there are people who make gods and exorcise ghosts; There are those who practice mercury alchemy; There are those who avoid the deep mountains; Why don't you fly around in the palace and the prime minister's house? - The Hu Gongshan you are talking about is the senior brother who is not talented - if you become an official, you have to listen to the emperor's orders, even if you are a good official, you will only have a good reputation, if you are like the prefect of Datong, knocking on the bones and sucking the marrow, and being mean to the people, is it comparable to my Taoist priest's bowl of clean and comfortable rice? ”

Hu Gongshan once treated Kangxi in the Yangxin Palace, and one kneeling action crushed six green bricks to cracks, which shows that the martial arts are extraordinary. This person is Hu Gongshan's junior brother, of course, he is not an idle person, so Kangxi has the heart to accept it. But Kangxi only knew one and didn't know the other. Wei Dongting's heart was bright, Hu Gongshan was reluctant to be an official because he disdained to work hard for Wu Sangui and did not want to be a courtier of the Manchu emperor, and when he left, he rescued Hao Laosi, a prisoner. Although Wei Dongting had a good personal relationship with Hu Gongshan, at this time, he met with an unrecognizable person like Yuliang, and he couldn't help but be vigilant again, so he asked with a smile: "Dao Chief, this is also a high theory. But it doesn't sound like you're very quiet, such a cold day, thousands of miles away, from southern Shaanxi to northern Shanxi, how can it be compared to being at ease with incense in Zhongnan Mountain? ”

"This kind of truth is not something that ordinary people can know." Yuliang was unceremonious, and replied, "The Buddha of Wutai Mountain is called cool, and the Tao is called the Purple Mansion, and Lao Tzu collects incense in the world here." Taoist priests naturally want to find Lao Tzu when they have something, just like the people have unjust debts and want to find the Son of Heaven. Just now, this layman said that his grandmother still came to pray to the Buddha because of the 'bad weather', 'the Taoist heart is merciful everywhere', so I can't go to the Purple Mansion and clear the anger here on behalf of the patriarch? ”

"This bull's nose is not small." Wei Dongting thought secretly, "This 'anger' naturally refers to the prefect of Datong, but I want to see how he clears the law." ”

Just thinking about it, I heard Kangxi say happily: "Senior Brother Ling and I have a one-sided relationship, and they also have the same temperament, Yuliang Dao Chang is bold and respectable!" As he spoke, he asked again, "I just mentioned the Datong Prefect, I don't know who it is?" Are you greedy? ”

"Who doesn't want money as an official? As long as you are not too black-hearted and greedy, the people will admit it! It's been like this since ancient times. The shopkeeper suddenly touched a hidden pain, shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Let's just say that our Governor Mo is the commander, and the fire consumes only nine and a half cents of silver, what do the people say?" Originally, the silver had to be consumed! ”

That's Molo. Kangxi nodded, flicked the charcoal basin on the side of the kang with chopsticks, Wangteng flamed, and asked, "Can't you live today?" ”

"Since the bad things in Ao Zhongtang, this year's autumn, the people's tone has eased a little." The shopkeeper sighed, "A villain who has land in the township, subsidized at both ends, and worked diligently in the yamen, which is not bad; The single farming is more bitter, and it is also the bad luck of our Datong Mansion, and the officials elected by the prince of Pingxi are spread. It is the duty to send the emperor to the imperial court, but he also has to give the prince of Pingxi to the king. Originally, there were few livestock to plough the fields, and the horses were taken away by the prince, and they had to pay the landlord grain, which was like going to Daoshan Mountain! It's good to meet a kind-hearted person like Mrs. Liu in the county, but if you meet someone like Zhou Futai, sitting on a coffin and selling a spirit flag-asking for money for death, then you will suffer! There are also a lot of extra officials, and it is like impermanence to ask for life! ”

"That's not right." Kangxi said with a smile, "Although I don't live in Beijing, I also know that the imperial court has a clear edict, since the second year of Kangxi to the present, Shanxi has exempted money and grain four times, and Lord Mo exempted your Datong last year, and Zhou Futai urged which person to pay taxes?" This is an edict signed by him himself, and it sounds like a treasure and is very familiar.

"How do you know about these strange things in the world!" Seeing that he didn't believe it, the shopkeeper only smiled and said, "The holy decree is the holy decree, and the prince's decree is the decree again, in our place, the holy decree does not contradict the decree!" This Zhou Futai, even Futai in the province did not dare to provoke him. He increased the amount of silver to four dollars and three in one go! For this one, I ate the emperor's grace. ”

Wei Dongting saw that Kangxi's face turned pale with anger, and his hand holding the fire chopsticks was trembling slightly, and he was busy holding the clothes behind him. Kangxi was stunned for a moment and came to his senses, and was busy eating tea to cover up the past.

"This is something that everyone knows, and the small ones don't need to hide it from the grandfather," the shopkeeper continued as if he remembered something, "Now it is said that the imperial court wants to levy horses, and the lord of Futai apportions them according to households, and they also deduct 200 livestock from Henan horse sellers, and people are trapped in the west courtyard and can't walk!" People have tea from Kaifeng Mansion [2]

, exchange Xinyang's tea for horses, why do you want to detain people? When the shopkeeper said this, he slapped his thigh angrily, "This Zhou Taizun doesn't know how to give birth, and he fed the dog with all his knowledge." I heard that he tried to fail the list several times, and somehow climbed to the prince of Pingxi, and chose to come to our Datong Mansion - a person in his fifties, and the people who sent the donation couldn't get the donation, so he insisted on asking a fifteen-year-old yellow flower girl from the neighbor's house to be a concubine, and he was really not afraid of making evil in front of Foshan! No, Mrs. Liu has invited Mrs. Zhou, please delay the matter of the horse sellers, and Ming'er will talk to Master Cai at Shahebao's house. For the people of this county, I'm afraid that Mrs. Liu will also persuade this girl to obey! ”

"yes." Fu Shan listened with sadness, shook his head and sighed, "Tomorrow I will arrange a banquet for Zhou Taizun in Shahe Castle, and I will also be invited to ......."

Kangxi had already had a murderous intention in his heart, but he calmed down, threw the fire chopsticks, and said with a smile: "I'm also gossiping, where to say where - it's not too early, it's time to rest in peace today, let's talk tomorrow." The owner of the shop originally thought that he must be a disciple of the nobles of the court, and he wanted to pour out his bitterness for the neighbors and a few horse dealers, and he could say a few good words in front of Zhou Taizun, but seeing that Kangxi was so timid, he had to get up and say goodbye, but Yuliang Daoren sneered and got up.

"Mr. Qingzhu," Kangxi stopped Fu Shan, "will you take me with you to the banquet tomorrow?" ”

At the end of the day, the howling wind gradually subsided, and only the snow was still falling endlessly, falling on the patio and the roof, rustling. Kangxi felt that the kang was burning too hot, and it was always restless to sit up and lie down, frowning and pacing back and forth under the lamp. Wei Dongting knew his heart very well, and he didn't dare to move, he stood next to him and thought about his own thoughts, from Li Yuliang and Hu Gongshan, from Hu Gongshan to the righteous brother Hao Laosi, he didn't feel full of sadness.

"Dongting," Kangxi suddenly turned around and asked, "Regarding the matter of Ma Zheng, the imperial court has its own system, what is this surnamed Zhou doing with so many horses privately?" Mo Luo's official reputation is not bad, but the surname Zhou is so greedy for money and evil, why doesn't he write a strict question? ”

Wei Dongting was stunned by his question, and hurriedly smiled: "Mo Luo Xingyuan is in Xi'an, there are not many people from Shanxi, the surname Zhou lives in the extreme north of Datong, and the emperor is far away, what can't be done?" As for the expedition to the horse-" Wei Dongting muttered, "I'm afraid it's still for Yunnan's ......"

"You don't have to go on," Kangxi stopped Wei Dongting, "this matter is clear, I will punish him for his crimes." ”

"Whose sin is the Lord going to cure?" Su Malagu opened the curtain of the cloth and came in, and said with a smile, "Long live just talking to those people, the Queen Mother heard it, and specially ordered me to come over and take a look-long live to do the surname Zhou, and you also have to go back to Beijing to say, this place is mixed, long live is a micro-service, why fight with the villain for the short length of the day?" ”

"The master is reasonable," Wei Dongting also said with a smile, "It's not a difficult matter, the slave asked someone to bring a letter to Master Suo, and he was locked up in Beijing in half a month—reasoning, the messengers of Lord Suo and Lord Xiong should arrive today." In a word, don't mess with him here. ”

"Can't I do him here?" Kangxi was a little frustrated when he heard this, sat back on the edge of the kang and said, "Tomorrow, Zhou will come to Shahebao to seize the people's daughter, I am the honor of the Ninety-Five, can I stay by the side and watch?" "Let's just look at Aunt Su Mala.

When Su Mala Gu heard this, she was moved with compassion, and after thinking for a while, she said: "Long live the benevolence of the sky, this thing should be done, but the traces of the holy car are publicized, and even the Jingshi will be shaken, and Lafayette's will is still right." ”

The three of them were planning, but they saw Xiao Maozi wrapped in snow drilled in, haha frozen red hands, "horn" shook the horseshoe sleeves, knelt down with a smile on his face and said: "Long live the auspicious and safe!" The slave Xiao Maozi was sent by Master Suo and sent a letter to the Lord Banzai. ”

"It's Xiao Maozi! I was startled, why didn't I say anything? Kangxi was surprised and delighted, stretched out his hand to "call", and said with a smile, "Just now Xiao Weizi also said that there should be a messenger coming, I don't want it to be you, this big snow, it is difficult for you to walk in the dark." ”

"The minions still have a few people with them." Xiao Maozi smiled, "I'm not afraid of snow, the wolf howl all over the mountain almost scares the minions!" As he spoke, he took out a sealed book from his bosom and handed it to both hands.

"There it is!" Kangxi was opening the letter, and Aunt Su Mala next to him clapped her hands and laughed, "Tomorrow's errand will be handed over to this little ghost, okay?" ”

"That's it," Kangxi also smiled dumbly, "I carry the imperial treasure with me, and let Xiao Maozi come forward tomorrow to do this minion, not showing mountains or water, let's also enter our incense, wouldn't it be wonderful for him to go back to his Beijing?" ”

"Xiao Maozi is afraid that he can't do it alone," Wei Dongting said with a smile, "The slave will be the envoy's escort tomorrow and join in the fun." ”

"I'm afraid this won't work," Su Malagu said, "You still have to escort up Wutai Mountain, how can you get ahead here?" The Empress Dowager Fang Cai said again and again, looking at the chaos here, she originally planned to stop in Wutai Mountain for a few more days, and then she had to go back to Beijing after going up the mountain a little bit! ”

"Tomorrow, I and Dongting will go." Kangxi was even more determined because of Xiao Maozi's arrival, "If you see the opportunity, Xiao Maozi can do it, so we don't have to come forward." Aunt Su Mala nodded and was speechless.

Xiao Maozi listened for a long time and didn't understand what their conversation meant, and seeing that Kangxi was already reading the letter, he poked Wei Dongting and asked, "Lord Wei, what does the master want me to do?" Wei Dongting whispered to Xiao Maozi about Fang Cai, Xiao Maozi's face turned red with anger, and said, "No wonder I entered the store and heard crying over there!" Long live this master, and the ten prefects have also done it! It's on me! ”

Kangxi had finished reading the letter, and his face sank again when he heard this, and he took out a gold-shell pocket watch to see that it was already two o'clock, and when he heard the wind outside the window, it was not very loud, and he made a gentle whistling sound, like crying and complaining, so he instructed Wei Dongting: "It's very cold outside, take my fox fur." ”

"Banzai going out?" Su Malagu exclaimed, "This kind of weather, the place is born again, how to make it?" If it's for that girl, just save her tomorrow, and I won't fight for this night. Wei Dongting also said: "The master will not move, and the guards will be tightened tonight, and none of the guards will be allowed to sleep - the slave will be punished, and the master will not dare to obey this life." ”

"Sister Man!" Kangxi saw that Su Malagu was about to withdraw, knowing that she was going to return to the Empress Dowager, he hurriedly shouted.

Su Malagu stood still, the name had not been called since she became a monk. It contains the empress dowager's love for her, Kangxi's respect for her as an enlightened big sister, and a lingering story with Wu Ciyou. Su Malagu moved her lips, but she didn't say anything.

"You are my first master, and later Mr. Wu replaced you, as soon as I ascended the throne in the first year of Kangxi, you said that I should be a good emperor, be close to the people and be diligent in government." Kangxi was a little emotional, stared at the candlelight with clear eyes, and said, "Although this matter is not big today, you know, this is much more useful than the edict, and the ten court ministers said that I am good, not as good as a people's girl, is that so?" ”

Wei Dongting was in his duty because of his duties, but he didn't give up, looked at Kangxi's gaze, and didn't dare to speak. Kangxi sensed this and said with a smile: "Let's go, I'm confident that it's right to do this." Fang Cai also faintly heard the cry, with this wind, how can a ghost howl make people sleep? Wei Dongting listened and hurriedly said: "If the master is too noisy, the slave will send someone to settle it, and even coax and scare them, telling them not to cry and ......."

"Shut up!" Kangxi glared at him and shouted, "You haven't grown up more and more recently!" People have seven emotions and six desires, she is sad, you go to scare her, read and nourish your anger, do you have such an appearance? As he spoke, he put on his fox fur and walked out of the upper room in a few steps. Wei Dongting and Su Malagu glanced at each other, instructed Xiao Maozi to go over to wait for the Empress Dowager, and also followed, beckoned to the guards guarding the door, whispered a few words, and then called the wolf and walked towards the gate with Kangxi tightly.

[1]

Brain dumplings: a kind of medicinal food, after the dumplings are fished out, they are poured with yam, brown sugar, carrots, tofu, green vegetables, and vermicelli to make a decoction, and then add an old wine after being put into the bowl, which has the effects of dispelling cold, invigorating blood, and strengthening the stomach.

[2]

Tea citation: The certificate issued by the local ** to the trafficker. The voucher can be used to exchange tea for horses in Mongolia.